#7 RANKED RED LAKE COUNTY MAKES 15 3-POINTERS TO BEAT PIRATE BOYS BASKETBALL

The #7 ranked Red Lake County Rebels used a 9-0 run behind three straight three-pointers halfway through the second half to take the lead and never looked back as they held on to beat the upset-minded Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team 76-63 in a game played at the Crookston High School gymnasium

FIRST HALF-
Crookston had the best start in about six or seven games as they scored the first points on a Reggie Winjum basket for a 2-0 lead. Red Lake County bounced back with four straight points with baskets from Connor Duden and Will Gieseke. Crookston countered with a Caden Boike basket and a Hunter Nicholas three-point play for a 7-4 lead. Red Lake County’s Ethan Johnson buried a three-pointer to tie the game at 7-7, the second tie of the game. Crookston answered with baskets from Nicholas and Tyler Michaelson for an 11-7 lead. The next three baskets made were four-pointers as the Rebels’ Ben Gullingsrud made the first three, Crookston’s Michaelson answered with one before Duden added one of his own, which was followed by another Gullingsrud trey to give Red Lake County a 16-14 lead. Crookston’s Reggie Winjum stole a pass and made a short jump shot, and added another basket the next trip down the floor to give the Pirates an 18-16 lead with 8:49 left in the half.
Red Lake County countered with an 8-0 run behind five Owen Chervestad points and a three-pointer from John Powers for a 24-18 lead. The teams exchanged baskets, and Red Lake County led 27-20 when Crookston went on a 13-0 run. Crookston had four points from Nicholas, three points from Jack Everett (his first points of the season after missing the first half due to surgery), and two points a piece from Rylan Lubarski, Michaelson, and Winjum for a 33-27 lead with two minutes left in the half.
Red Lake County took a 36-35 lead after a Gullingsrud three-pointer, but Crookston Winjum answered with a three-pointer of his own with two seconds left for a 38-36 lead going into halftime.
Red Lake County made 10 three-pointers for 30 of their 36 first-half points.

SECOND HALF-
Crookston started the second half with a Boike basket before Red Lake County responded with an 8-0 run with Chervestad scored four points, Gunnar Halverson added two free throws, and Duden added a basket for a 44-40 lead. Crookston responded with four points, two apiece by Lubarski and Boike, to tie the game at 44-44. The teams battled back and forth, and the game was tied at 53 with 10:42 remaining. Crookston’s Hunter Nicholas (who had 18 points and 20 rebounds) committed his fourth foul of the game and had to go to the bench. Nicholas on the bench allowed Red Lake County to take over the game. The Rebels made three straight three-pointers, with Ethan Majeres making two and  Gieseke adding the third for a 62-53 lead. Crookston responded with an 8-4 run to get within a five-point deficit with five minutes left in the game. Red Lake County held on the rest of the way and won the game 76-63 to fend off the upset-minded Pirates.
Red Lake County made 15 three-pointers in the game but only made 11 of 20 free throws. Crookston made six three-pointers but shot a solid 9 of 11 from the free-throw line.

Crookston drops to 3-10 on the year and will host Frazee on Tuesday. Red Lake County improves to 12-0 on the year and will host the Win-E-Mac Patriots on Friday in a matchup of two of the top teams in Section 8A. 
J.V. – Crookston won 58-52

CLICK HERE to hear Crookston Coach Greg Garmen’s post-game comments.

For Red Lake County Coach Steve Philion’s comments, CLICK HERE.